BPW intends to launch its own aluminium wheel in all standard sizes for trucks and trailers in January next year.
The company says its new Eco Wheel has been developed and produced in partnership with hand and die forging specialist Otto Fuchs KG, responsible for the iconic Fuchs wheel developed for Porsche in the 1960s.
Defining characteristics include a crescent design and a weight down about 50% in comparison to standard steel wheels – meaning that on a tri axle trailer, operators can expect a weight-saving of 120kg, which transfers directly into additional payload.
BPW also says that weight reduction notwithstanding, thanks to the forged alloy, the new wheel remains robust and long lived. The company also suggests that its light metal wheels exhibit low momentum during acceleration and deceleration and are an influential factor in achieving low rolling resistance.
That, it claims, means a potential for fuel saving as well. BPW also says that, because of the high heat conductivity of aluminium, heat is more rapidly dissipated from brakes and tyres. "Tyre performance, brake disc life and brake pad life all profit from this situation", says the firm.
